Sanguine Sangria

Zoë: You sanguine about the kinda reception we're apt to receive on an Alliance ship, Captain?
Mal: Absolutely. What's "sanguine" mean?
Zoë: Sanguine. Hopeful. Plus, point of interest, it also means "bloody".
Mal: Well, that pretty much covers all the options, don't it?
Mal and Zoe, "Safe" (Firefly, 2002)

Point of interest, Sangria also means "bloody."

But my good friend cannot drink red wine, the poor girl. Something to do with the flavonoids. But she can drink white wine just fine. So I whipped up two batches of Sangria today.

The infamous "blue" (purple, really) sangria has been banned for life.

There's really no recipe for Sangria--it's just wine, fruit, a proportion of hard liquor, and, if you want, a touch of club soda to lighten things up a bit.

Here's a few tips on how to make your own signature sangria without fuss.

* The sweeter the starting wine, the sweeter the sangria will be. The fruit that you add does not make the drink any more sugary, but it does give fruity flavor.
* Use a good wine, but not a great wine. By good wine, I mean a wine you like and enjoy drinking by itself. Don't go for the bottom of the jug wine just because you're going to add stuff to it.
* Always add some citrus. My ratio is one orange and a half a lemon per bottle of wine.
* Limes and grapefruits are bad, mmkay? Limes and grapefruits have skin that is very bitter-much more bitter than oranges and lemons-and will impart a bitter flavor to your sangria.
* Color-code the fruit to the wine. If you're doing white sangria, add white fruits, like peaches, pineapple, mango. For red sangria, use red fruits, like strawberries, cherries or mixed berries.
* Frozen fruit is fine, in fact it's ideal. Frozen fruit will act like flavorful ice cubes, helping to keep your sangria refreshingly cool before the sun sets.
* Brandy, orange, and rum are good, but pick one. Stick with liquors that will add complimentary flavors to the sangria. Orange liquors are especially good, like curacao or triple sec. I add about 1/2 to 1 cup of liquor per bottle of wine
* Add club soda, to taste, before serving. The club soda will add a touch of dryness, a touch of sparkle, and will lighten up your drink. If you don't do this, you run the risk of getting real drunk, real quick. If that's your aim, more power to you, but I told you so.

In honor of Independence Day, I now present to you red, white, and blue sangria. Can easily be doubled. (Again I implore you, do not drink the blue sangria. I only include it for sake of completeness.)

Red sangria
1 bottle red wine (Garnacha del Fuego is great)
1/2 bag of frozen mixed berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries), OR 1/2 bag frozen strawberries.
1 orange, sliced
1/2 lemon, sliced
1 cup Triple sec
1/2 cup rum
1/2 bottle club soda

Put fruit in the bottom of large pitcher or thermally insulated pitcher. Add wine and triple sec. Refrigerate. Before serving, taste, and add club soda, up to a half a bottle, as needed.

White Sangria
1 bottle fruity white wine, dry or sweet, as your preference
1/2 bag frozen peaches
1 orange, sliced
1/2 lemon, sliced
1 cup Triple sec
1/2 bottle club soda

Put fruit in the bottom of a large pitcher or thermally insulated pitcher. Add wine and triple sec. Refrigerate. Before serving, taste, and add club soda, up to a half a bottle, as needed.

Blue Sangria
1 bottle cheap red wine
1 cup blue curacao - must be blue
1 orange
1 lemon
1 bag frozen blueberries or mixed berries

Mix. Chill. Drink. Get drunk off your ass.